Kingston Flash Memory Card Review

Kingston Technology's Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) memory cards are fully compliant with the new SD Association specification version 2.00. They are a new performance class of SD memory cards designed to meet the storage demands of high-quality digital still and video cameras and other high-resolution image recording devices. Starting at 4GB, SDHC cards offer larger-volume data storage and optimized recording performance with support for FAT 32 file formats. In addition, Kingston¿s SDHC cards use new speed ¿class¿ ratings known as Class 2, 4 and 6 that deliver a minimum data transfer rate for optimum performance with SDHC devices.

Below is a summary of the feedback we gathered from the product's ACTUAL customers:

Pros:

* This flash card not only comes with a massive storage but also the awesome quality that Kingston is famous for! However, it is not an ideal choice for a digital SLR like a D80, D90, Rebel XT, etc.

* I am quite happy with the capacity and performance of this card. I wish the price were a bit cheaper, though!

* It is definitely a great flash memory card for the price. However, I wish it were a bit faster!

* This is an extremely fast card, with an average writing speed of 5 MB per second!

* This flash card is an exceptional product, just like all other other Kingston products. But make sure that your device supports SDHC, or else, this card won't work!

* This is a very good card for digital SLR cameras! Don't read too much into the "memory speed class" stuff; unless you have got a high-end digital SLR camera worth thousands of dollars, buying anything more than Class 4 card is a waste of money as your camera won't be able to use the extra speed!

* This flash card is a great value for money! It works not only with the new cameras but even the older cameras that support SDHC cards!

* This is a great bargain for the price; the storage is so massive that it did not fill up even after storing 1000 pictures! I would purchase it again!

* This may not be as fast as a class 6 card, but it is fast enough for an average user like me. Don't waste your money by paying a premium for high-class cards when you can get something that is almost as good at a fraction of the price!

* This class 4 flash card is a great card for the price, with a write speed of more than 4 MB per second. Plus, I also love Amazon.com's frustration-free packaging!

Cons:

* This is a good value for money if you are not looking for ultra-fast cards (I mean, its performance is slower than can be expected from a C4 SDHC card); otherwise, skip this and look elsewhere!

* While it does the job well, it is extremely slow for me. If you don't mind waiting a couple of seconds for a picture to be saved, then by all means save money by buying this card! However, if you can buy a high-end camera, then don't be a cheapo on the card, or else, you'll regret it!

* This card is not very reliable. I experienced a "read error" at least three times. Since then, my pictures have started disappearing. I would rather pay a bit more and buy a card that would actually keep my pictures intact!

* I received a faulty card. Almost 90% of the pictures I pasted were either distorted or un-viewable; moreover, the videos copied to the SDHC were also damaged! Thankfully, the vendor offered excellent customer service!

* I received two defective cards in a single order! One of them was faulty right from the start, while the other became unusable after a few hours. Now, while both the cards can read and write data, they are unreliable to say the least. Often, either the data gets corrupted or the device fails to work completely!

* Avoid purchasing this flash memory card! It failed to work after two days! Even re-formatting it (as suggested) did not work! DO NOT trust this card!

* Please don't buy this card. The first time I purchased it, my Wolverine slide converter failed to recognize it. I received a quick replacement but even the new Kingston card did not work for me. Thankfully, I got a quick refund, but I won't buy from this brand again!

* This card is a total junk, if you ask me. It did not work with my Canon Powershot camera! Given its price, I figured that it would be more economical for me to dump it in the garbage can than ship it back for a refund!

* I have had no problems with SD cards until I purchased this flash memory card from Kingston. None of my six computers could read the data on this card, which means that all the pictures I had stored in it are now gone! Finally, I purchased a card from another brand and so far, no problems! I know one thing: I would never buy another SD card from Kingston again!

* For 4 months, I had no problems with this memory card until one day the small plastic found at the corner of the card broke off while taking it out of my camera. Well, that one small incident pretty much damaged the card memory permanently; none of my pictures could be retrieved!

It has its issues, no doubt, but for the price, this card seems to be a bit more reliable card than Transcend™. I would suggest that you check it out (make sure that your camera comes with in-built support for SDHC) and test it with a couple of "test" pictures before trusting it with your valuable data.

Though, I must say that at the end of the day, nothing compares to SanDisk!

BTW, don't you find it funny that this product has got almost one negative review for every positive review? LOL! I certainly do!

PRODUCT STATISTICS:

Product Dimensions: 0.8 x 0.4 x 2.6 inches

Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces

Item model number: SD4/32GB

SHIPPING ADVISORY:

None Available

MANUFACTURER INFORMATION:

In 1987, Kingston® entered the market with a single product. Founders John Tu and David Sun fulfilled a severe shortage of surface mount memory chips with a memory module that would serve to redefine industry standards for years to come.

Combining one of the most extensive and stringent testing processes in the memory industry, an exceptional 24/7 free tech support center and a consistent roll-out of innovative technologies, Kingston Technology has continually set industry standards of quality and reliability throughout its history.

Reliability is the cornerstone of the Kingston product strategy. It has played a key role in maintaining the long-term relationships developed over the years with customers. Kingston remains committed to exceeding industry standards with every new development while maintaining the signature reliability of its products.